City to get rapid bus transit system soon

[Salman]

City to get rapid bus transit system soon


KARACHI - KMC Administrator Muhammad Hussain Syed Wednesday said bus rapid transit facility could solve the transport problems in Karachi.
The Sindh government and KMC have decided to start RBTS “yellow line” as a pilot project on a 22-km route from Dawood Chowrangi to Numaish Chowrangi and Lucky Star via 8000 Road, Korangi and FTC under public-private partnership mode where daily commuting is about 700,000 per day.
The proposed RBTS would cater 13,000 passengers per hour per direction. The first meeting of the standing committee was held on July 30 in the committee room of finance department. It was attended by Administrator Muhammad Hussain Syed, Director General Public Private Partnership Unit Sohail Rajput, Director General Karachi Mass Transit Cell Rasheed Mughal, and others.
The standing committee on this occasion accorded the approval to go ahead for publishing the expression of interest (EOI), besides approving draft RFQ documents to invite proposals from reputable and experienced firms/consortia to prepare a feasibility report covering technical, financial, economical, legal and environmental aspects along with transaction advisory services for the bus rapid transit system.
The administrator emphasised the need and necessity of transit facility. Later, KMTC DG Rasheed Mughal in his presentation briefed about the city’s demographic pattern, travel demand trend, JICA study recommendation for transit project and projected cost of infra-structure and various system.
Besides approved draft RFQ documents to invite proposals from reputable and experienced parties to prepare a feasibility report covering technical, financial, economical, legal and environmental aspects along with transaction advisory services for the bus rapid transit system (RBTS) Yellow Line under public private partnership mode.
Muhammad Hussain Syed emphasised the need and necessity of transit facility.
The DG also informed about the features of RBT system, infrastructure including signal priority, automated ticketing system, bus information system and command & control system.
He further explained that RBTS “yellow line” would be a 22km route from Dawood Chowrangi to Numaish Chowrangi and Lucky Star via 8000 Road Korangi and FTC.
The feasibility and transaction structure of RBTS would enable KMTC, KMC to make an informed decision which shall ensure an affordable, sustainable and replicable system.
The meeting was further informed that JICA had prepared a mass transit network for Karachi with 2030 vision suggesting 2 metro system lines and 6 RBT lines, besides KCR revitalisation programme.
JICA has also prepared feasibility study of two RBTS lines (Green line-Surjani to Jama Cloth market and red line-model colony to Regal Chowk via Safoora Goth, university road) and pre-facility of blue line from Sohrab Goth to tower.
Everyone should play role for curbing Hepatitis: Everyone should play his role for curbing the Hepatitis.
This was stressed by the Sindh Minister for Labour, Ameer Nawab Khan. He was speaking at a ceremony organized at Khulsoom Bai Valika Hospital here in connection with the World hepatitis Day, says a statement on Wednesday.
He said that the promise of spreading the Hepatitis Control Programme has been now been fulfilled. He pointed out that the screening and vaccination has been started in Karachi, Nooriabad and Hyderabad.
Ameer Nawab Khan referred to the phrase ‘Prevention is better than the cure’ and stressed that awareness be fostered regarding Hepatitis. He said that adoption of such an approach can help save many from contracting the disease.
The minister also lauded the initiation of screening by the Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI) of its workers and their dependents.